


Marrying Your Best Friend

by AlwaysATexasGirl



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien and Marinette are best friends, Aged-Up Character(s), Best Friends, Christmas Eve, DJWifi, F/M, I wrote this whole thing in one night and kinda forgot about it, Identity Reveal, Ladynoir mentioned, Marinette has a tiny (or not so tiny) crush on Chat, One chapter for each season, Reveal, Spring, Summer, Winter, about 21 to 22 years old, adrienette - Freeform, adrienette friendship, fall - Freeform, later on, possibly too much dialouge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-08-11 10:36:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7887967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysATexasGirl/pseuds/AlwaysATexasGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You know, they always say you should marry your best friend.”</p><p>In the year she turned twenty-two, Marinette had heard that sentence exactly four times.</p><p>The first time, she had been annoyed. The second time, she had laughed. The third time, she had blushed. And the last time, she’d said it herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Spring

The first time she had heard that fateful sentence, it had been at a small café near her parent’s bakery.

It had only been a few days since the long-awaited sunrays had melted the last dirty piles of snow away.

It was the same day she’d found the first flower attempting to peak out of it’s green cocoon on her balcony.

The same day Chat Noir and Ladybug had gotten into an argument over who had the best powers, both insisting that the other was far more important for the constant fight against evil.

The same day Adrien told Marinette she smelled like cookies when rushing into the bakery to pick her up.

Alya had been playing with her brand new ring, the mittens on her hand slipping on and off, despite the temperature being 8 degrees Celsius. No one knew why Adrien insisted they eat outside, or why the blond was so immune to the cold, or why the café even let their guests freeze outdoors in an early, chilly spring morning like this one.

Adrien was taking long sips of his iced cafe au lait, a pencil clutched in his free hand. The student was scribbling down physics formulas in an attempt to have them all memorized by his next exam.

Marinette was layering herself in an extra scarf she’d brought with her; already wearing three thick shawls across her upper body. Her hat was pulled down to cover her ladybug earrings –not that the plain black studs on her earlobes were suspicious or anything, but cold metal was not something the super heroine was keen on at this time of the year- and the tips of her fingers ached as if they were frozen stiff, despite her soft, white gloves. She didn’t know how Alya could even take her hands out of her mittens for seconds, let alone the boy right beside her, whose fingers were completely naked.

Somewhat out of it, she eyed the silver ring he always wore before Nino began to speak, reminding Adrien and Marinette why they were there, “I’m so glad that Ladybug had left us trapped in that panther cage way back when.” He said, wrapping an arm around his fiancée’s shoulder. “If it hadn’t been for that crazy attempt in keeping us safe, I never would have gotten to know the most amazing girl in the world.”

Alya smirked. “And I wouldn’t have gotten this gorgeous ring.”

Nino blushed and Marinette rolled her eyes. “If you married him for the money you should’ve married rich kid.” She said, nudging the blond beside her.

Adrien jerked up, the newly acquired glasses, which were slipping down the bridge of his nose, fell onto his messy stack of notes. “What?”

“I said if Alya wants money, she should marry you.”

He scoffed. “It’s my dad’s money, not mine. I’m studying. If it weren’t for my dad, I’d be living off of trail mix and carrots from _Franprix_.”

“Oh what a terrible fate.” Nino joked; reminding the three of the time he’d spent sponging on the trio.

“You’re way better off than I am, really. I mean you’ve got a job that you love – and it’s finally worth it - an awesome apartment, and look at you, Nino. In six months you’ll be getting married.” Adrien had worn the same expression as Marinette when Alya had first shoved the diamond ring in front of their faces, but now, Marinette noticed something different in those bright green orbs of his. Despite the proud, over-the-table elbow nudge and the broad, model grin, he almost looked… sad.

But Alya and Nino didn’t notice that. Instead the latter took the opportunity to show off the girl he’d been dating for the last seven years. “I’m thrilled, guys. You know, they always say you should marry your best friend and I’m not kidding when I say that this is the best decision I’ve ever made.” The couple looked at each other and Marinette looked away, not really that in love with the two being in love with each other anymore. It had been cute when she liked Adrien and it was all ‘my best friend is dating his best friend’, but in the long run, the outcome hadn’t been what she’d expected.

The years third wheeling with Adrien made her not only realize what a nerd he was – the boy was bordering Chat Noir quality with his puns - but also, that he was, in fact, a real person. And one by one, after truly befriending the boy, she’d torn down her pedestal of supposedly undying love for him.

It’d been years since she’d even seen him as a potential boyfriend.

And the whole thing with Emma, Louis, and Hugo had vanished completely. Actually, the girl considered changing the names of her future children just to avoid another constant reminder of her Adrien-obsession-years.

In the end, her feelings for the former model were much more like feelings she supposed she’d have for a brother. He felt like family.

He wasn’t flawless, unreachable Adrien _Freaking_ Agreste; he was a friend, and a very good one at that.

And what Nino said did make her feel slightly uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she didn’t agree, of course you should marry someone you feel so comfortable with and love just as much your family members. But Marinette didn’t like her best friend like that.

So she played with her shawl and watched from the corner of her eye as Adrien hummed in passive agreement, taking another sip of his cold, cold beverage.

“That’s why Mari and Adrien haven’t found anybody yet.” Alya began. The redhead tugged on her boyfriend’s arm as another smirk crossed her lips. “Their best friends are already taken.”

She was referring to herself and Nino, and Marinette almost winced at the fact that she had become better friends with Adrien than the bride-to-be in the past years.

But she let the conversation take a different course; steering away from any possible Adrien+Marinette talks.  
Marinette spoke up, “You have to get to know someone first.” She took the small pouch of sugar from her saucer and gently tapped it over her steaming cup, grateful for the warmth that hit her face and her gloved hands as she leaned over it. “It’s not like you walk up to someone and immediately become their best friend.”

“But you two haven’t even tried looking.” Alya emphasized, her gaze meeting Nino’s and then fleeting towards her ring once more as she pulled her mitten off. A smile crept onto her lips, “And if you aren’t going to find anybody soon, we’re hooking the two of you up on an unexpected blind date. You won’t even know about it until you find yourself sitting across from each other at a dim, candlelit dinner. And I swear, the two of you will fall in love as if you were hit by lightning.”

Marinette, thinking of her teenage _coup de foudre_ moment with Adrien, laughed at the irony.

The blond just rolled his eyes and returned to his studies.

And Nino glanced at his fiancée. “I thought the plan was getting them drunk and placing a forged marriage contract near the place they pass out at.”

“Babe, that was only if plan A doesn’t work out.”


	2. Summer

The second time Marinette had heard the sentence, she was out shopping with her mom.

And this time, she almost believed it. It was on one of those days were the scorching heat made one’s brain not work as well. One of the days were beads of sweat would form on the back of your neck and glide down your back, and the desire to jump into a cool swimming pool slowly became too overwhelming when outdoors for too long.

Sabine needed a new dress for her and Tom’s upcoming anniversary, and Marinette, who was actually quite busy with work and with the constant struggle to perfect her very own fashion line, had still offered to help out.

She was still living with her parents, and she didn’t have to pay rent or even help out with the bakery like some of the other young adults that hadn’t moved out of their childhood home yet.

The two, mother and daughter, had planned to spend the hot summer afternoon searching for dress fabrics.

But it as it turned out, Sabine was much more interested in searching for a potential boyfriend for her daughter.

“Why, that boy over there looks pretty cute, don’t you think?”

Marinette looked over to see a young man at a café. Sabine leaned in closer to her daughter. “Why don’t you go over and sit right next to him? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a sweet, pretty girl just walking up and starting a conversation. Believe it or not, couples do find each other that way.”

Before Marinette could tell her mother what a crazy and fully absurd idea that was, a beautiful blonde woman strutted out of the café like she owned the place and sat down across from the man. He leaned forward and the woman mirrored his actions, resting her chin on the back of her hand.

Sabine huffed, and then turned to her daughter. “That could’ve been you.”

“I’m pretty sure that was his date, mama.”

The older woman laughed and Marinette gave her mother another look before continuing their walk towards her favorite fabric store.

“You’ll need someone to dance with at the wedding, dear.”

“Alya said I don’t have to dance.”

“Is there really nobody at your work?”

“Very funny…”

“You know, the older you get the harder it is to find someone… and have children, Marinette. Think about your future.”

“I’m twenty two.”

Marinette's mother laughed. "I know that, sweetheart. But you haven't even been in a serious relationship yet."

"Mama-"

“Is there really nobody at Gabriel’s?”

“I already answered that. There’s nobody at work.”

Sabine smirked. “What about Adrien?”

That made Marinette stop dead in her tracks.

“Adrien is just a friend.”

It was ridiculous, the way her parent’s thought they knew exactly how she felt about the former model. They had, when she was fifteen and had pictures of his plastered all over her wall and when she’d talked about him all the time. Oh, she really shouldn’t have talked about him as much as she did back then, she didn’t even know the poor guy at the time.

“But he’s your best friend.” The way her mother drawled out the word ‘best’ made Marinette wonder if there could be a double meaning. Sabine continued, “And you know, they always say you should marry your best friend. I married my best friend, and as you know, your papa and I have a very, very happy marriage. Our twenty-fifth anniversary is coming up in just one month, Marinette. If that isn’t a good sign, I don’t know what is...”

But Adrien wasn’t Marinette’s best friend. He may be a close second, but he wasn’t her best friend. That title was reserved for someone entirely else.

“And don’t you give me that ‘No, my best friend is Alya’, Marinette. I don’t see Alya coming into our bakery, saying ‘hi’, and just passing the register like she lives here. I’ve also haven’t seen her eat out of our refrigerator in a long time and what is with that boy and Camembert? The only other person that eats so much of that stinky cheese is-”

“Mama, Adrien likes someone else.” Marinette finally said, hoping her mother would notice the earnestness in her voice and expression.

Sabine did. And when she asked who the girl was, all the baker’s daughter could reply with was a painfully honest “I don’t know.”


	3. Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've heard that they don't really have bridesmaids in France, but let's just pretend they do :P
> 
> I hope you all like this chapter!

The third time Marinette heard the sentence, she’d been in the bride's room with Alya.

It was going to be a fall wedding; autumn leaves incorporated with the white roses and bright sunflowers in the bouquets, many of the leaves in shades of reds and browns, matching Alya’s wavy hair and Nino soft brown eyes.

Marinette could only dream of such a wedding, with loved ones all around, good food, a gorgeous wedding gown, and the man she loved waiting for her across the aisle. Was it a bad thing that he had blonde hair and green eyes in her imagination? Was it a bad thing that her childhood Adrien fantasies had possibly ended up giving her a ‘type’?

She shook her head, returning to Alya’s dress.

“There are so many couples in books and movies that are freaked out before their weddings. But… I’m not. I mean, I am, but I know it’s the right thing. You know?”

Marinette nodded, securing the small lace-covered buttons of the dress to their buttonholes.

“I know you’re making some sort of face behind me, girl. But getting married to your best friend is literally the best thing you can do.” Alya reminded her. “I mean, I am not saying this because I’ve noticed how close you and Adrien have gotten over the years. And please don’t think I don’t count you as my best friend, but you know, they always say you should marry your best friend. Whoever the guy you’re pretty much saving yourself for is, I hope he’ll be your best friend.”

And for the first time a face with vibrant green eyes flashed in Marinette’s mind at the thought.

The next button on the gown was secured in a more quick, aggressive manner, and Marinette hoped that Alya – or her aunt, who happened to be in the room doing the bride’s make up – couldn’t see the heat that had flooded in to her face.

“I know I scored so well with Nino.” Alya continued. “We’re best friends, we both love media and photography and he’s so amazing, Mari, and I’m actually getting married to him!” The bride squealed, but regained a slightly more professional, grown up attitude in seconds. “Look, the feelings I have for Nino are pretty much a part of me, just like the Ladyblog and my glasses. Although… I am wearing contacts right now. Oh gosh, what if one of them falls out, Mari? What’s gonna happen then? What if that happens right at the altar and ruins our kiss? What if-”

“Alya, calm down.” The sound of a male voice entered the room and Marinette, whose back was facing the door, spun around to see none other than Golden Boy Agreste standing in the doorway.

“You shouldn't be in here, Adrien.”

“Woah, Marinette. Calm down.” He made the gesture Nino often made to emphasize his point. “I’m just here because groomzilla next door wanted me to check on his bride.”

“Check on. Not check out...”

“She’s dressed, Marinette. And may I say you look really great today?”

“Hitting on my maid of honor, Adrien?” Alya asked without turning around, not that she could, really, with a silent makeup artist applying whatever to the woman’s face.

“Actually the compliment was towards the bride, but I have to say Marinette looks fabulous as well.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Always so charming… too bad it’s coming from a peeping best man.”

“Marinette, you wound me.”

“Shut up, Agreste.”

Alya's aunt spoke up for the first time, her voice filled with amusement. “If I don’t get a wedding invitation from you two by the end of next year I’d be terribly disappointed.”

Marinette spun around to look at the woman. But Alya's aunt then frowned, her eyebrows scrunched together while concentrating on Ayla’s make up.

To be honest, Marinette hadn’t _really_ taken notice of the woman’s presence before.

“Uh,” Adrien switched the subject. “Look, Alya, I have some bad news…”

“If you’re coming here to tell me that Ladybug isn’t’ coming; I’ve already been informed.”

“Ladybug isn’t coming?”

“She can’t, Adrien.” Marinette said, noticing the strange look on her friend’s face; she chose to ignore it. “She’d steal so much attention and that wouldn’t be right.”

“I told her she could’ve come as a civilian.” Alya pouted. “I don’t see why she couldn’t come.”

“And let the owner of the Ladyblog find out who she is? I don’t think that’d be a very good idea.” The designer commented, and then gasped as she saw a miniscule rip in the gown’s lace.

“Chat Noir’s coming in his costume.”

That tore Marinette’s attention right back to the conversation. She jumped up, dusting off her bridesmaid’s dress with her hands. “He is? Really?” She looked up at Alya. “You invited Chat Noir?” The way his name came out of her mouth didn’t exactly hide her surprise or admiration for the superhero and she almost cringed at the thought of sounding like a fangirl. She couldn’t help herself. She knew her feelings for her partner weren’t platonic anymore, but that didn't mean she was going to admit that anytime soon.

“About that…” Adrien once again reminded the women of the male presence in the room, and then Marinette felt heat begin to rise up to her face.

Adrien had heard her practically squeal about Chat Noir.

Alya held up a silencing hand toward Adrien, “Don’t tell me.”

“He said he’s really sorry. And there’s even a present with all the other gifts it’s just-”

“He doesn’t want to steal the attention, I get it. It’s just… I mean... If I knew them better I’d want them standing up at the altar behind you and Marinette.” She said.

“You think Nino would want Chat Noir to stand beside him at the altar?”

“Next to you, Adrien. I know he wouldn’t choose Chat Noir as his best man. You’re his best man. But he adores the guy. And it’s a good thing too, because if he was interested in Ladybug I’d have to give up all that hard work. And if I had done that I wouldn’t have become Paris’ favorite journalist!” Alya paused for a minute and turned around, both Adrien’s and Marinette’s eyes widened at the full sight of the bride-to-be.

She was stunning, but interrupted the moment of awe before anyone could compliment her appearance. “So, what did Nino want to say to me?”

“Uh, that was it.” Adrien tried to smile but that just lead to Alya’s happy expression evaporating.

“So you came in here to tell me that the boyfriend of my idol isn’t coming to my wedding? And that’s it?”

The man didn’t answer; he didn’t comment on Alya’s choice of wording either, but neither did Marinette. (Even though she knew she should have. She didn’t even want to think of the reaction Chat would have made if he had seen or heard her _not_ argue with what Alya had said.)

Alya glanced at her best friend knowingly before beckoning towards the blonde in the room.

“ _Marinette_.”

The said girl walked over to Adrien and shoved him out of the room. He didn’t protest, really. And it wasn’t the first time that Marinette had done exactly what Alya wanted just by a glance and having heard her name in a certain manner.

“That really wasn’t good timing.” The half-Chinese bridesmaid said once the door clicked shut behind her and Adrien, both standing in the church's hallway.

“Well, running into the boy’s room to confess your love to me in collége wasn’t really the best timing either.” He grinned and Marinette groaned.

“I really wish Alya hadn’t had told you that.”

“I’m so glad she did.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “You know what?"

"What?" Adrien cocked his head to the side, a grin pulling on his lips.

The woman shook her head. "You’re way too full of yourself, rich kid.”

“No, frankly, I’m not. And that’s why I need to hear more stories about your strange teenage obsession about me.”

“If a certain someone who’s only a few meters and a closed door away from us hears this conversation, it’ll be us two who end up at the altar getting married.”

“And we wouldn’t want that, would we, princess?”

Marinette’s cheeks flared red at the last word.


	4. Winter Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did any of y'all watch the Christmas Special?
> 
> Okay, sorry for the wait! My life is a little crazy and I've been contemplating posting this on ff.net too. I'm going to try to have the last (yes, there will be one more) chapter posted by Christmas... maybe even on the day the story takes place. There may be a bit of an OOC moment for Adrien in the end... but Idk. Lets say he's just super protective about how he feels for a certain someone and he doesn't react well with others finding out about it? Like I said, I don't know.
> 
> ALSO: THANK YOU SO MUCH! 200 Kudos and 27 bookmarks? And I still get emails saying someone liked my story?? Thank you all so much! I really, really appreciate it!

The last time she had heard that fateful sentence, she was the one who had said it.

It was Christmas Eve.

She had been living in the apartment for exactly thirteen days.

Most of her furniture was old, used or even borrowed from friends and family and although it was her home - her very first Christmas present to herself - it didn’t feel quite lived in yet. She’d tried hanging up pictures on her living room wall and sewing her own pillowcases and yes, in a strange way it seemed a lot like home. But not completely.

Marinette had told her parent’s she’d come over for the holiday evening, but by 10:30 PM she felt obligated to cancel. She had not planned on getting in a fight with Chat Noir, and most definitely not planned in taking care of a heartbroken best friend either.

In her left hand, Marinette held a wet, obviously used tissue, and with the right, she was dabbing a certain person’s tearstained cheeks. With her lips she tried to assure him that everything was going to be all right.

No, that sounded wrong; Marinette Dupain-Cheng was not kissing Adrien Agreste. She was simply moving her mouth to talk to him, assuring him everything was going to be all right.

“But it won’t, Marinette. It won’t.” Adrien was a mess, and all of this because the girl of his dreams wouldn’t accept some stupid Christmas present. Marinette felt terrible, and was slightly mad at the girl for doing this to him.

Even though she could, in a way, understand. Adrien gave his friends elaborate presents and Marinette always had to just take whatever he gave her, even if it would’ve cost her pretty much all that she had.

“And you,” Adrien continued, “you really shouldn’t be seeing me like this, this is just embarrassing.”

“It’s okay, Adrien. Really.” She dropped the tissue in her left hand and tousled his hair; leaving a golden mess that somewhat resembled a bird’s nest instead of the angelic winged-hairstyle he’d kept since his adolescent years. “And it will be okay. I promise.”

“But everything is turning out so wrong, Mari. Everything. I hated modeling, but being a photographer is even worse. I love taking pictures of real smiles, but when you’re in the fashion industry it’s all fake smiles and model behavior and-”

“Adrien," A knowing smile crept onto the designer's lips, "you can’t be in that bad of a mood if you’re punning.”

“But I am.” His neck rested upon the top of her couch, face towards the ceiling, “And as if the stress with Christmas and all the homework for uni isn’t enough, this happens.”

Marinette watched her best friend squeeze his eyes shut, trying to block further tears.

“It’ll be alright, Adrien. I promise.”

“You shouldn’t be spending Christmas Eve like this; I know you wanted to spend it at your parent’s house.” He said, eyes still clammed shut.

Marinette wrapped an arm around him, “I moved away for a reason, you know. And while I do love spending the holidays with my parents, you’re family too, Adrien.”

The man sat back up and opened his reddish eyes. If it were in any other situation, Marinette would have laughed at the fact that Adrien’s eyes were Christmas colored on Christmas Eve, but instead, she felt tears sting in her own eyes and she pulled her friend close.

“I’m family to you?” He asked.

“Of course you’re family, Adrien. I love you.”

“That was the most nicest thing someone ever said to me.” He mumbled into her shoulder. “I love you too, Mari.”

The woman just hugged him tighter in response.

Adrien wasn’t the only one hurt on this cold and dreary December 24th and she wasn’t either, and she knew that.

Adrien would have realized that too, if his vision hadn’t already been too blurred by tears when he ran into her apartment without a warning. He would have seen that the girl was on the verge of collapsing onto the couch in a fit of uncontrolled tears, and he might have even noticed the unopened package with the words ‘Meowry Christmas, Chat Noir.' The package that was dangerously forgotten on the small side table near her front door.

Maybe then, he wouldn’t have raced into her apartment and pulled her into a tight, needy hug. Or maybe that’s exactly what he would have done, because she needed that hug too. So she’d let herself melt in his embrace, pretending to cry with him instead of about something else entirely. And now, they found themselves once again hugging with transparent tears lingering over their green and blue eyes, slipping down their cheeks and onto the other’s shoulder.

“Marinette?”

“Mmm?”

Adrien put his hands on her shoulder and eased her away from him so they could look at each other. His voice lowered to a shaky whisper, “Why are you crying on Christmas Eve?”

“I… I had an argument with my best friend.” She sniffled, whipping her nose with the sleeve of her pajama shirt until she felt something wet and sticky touch her hand. She’d wiped her nose far too quick, and the trail of snot on her hand was the proof. She forced a small, half-lived laugh, and took Adrien’s hand off of her shoulder with her clean one. He let the other one fall to the side as she walked toward the box of tissues.

Blowing her nose in front of Adrien still felt awkward, but she guessed that it was much better than doing so with her sleeve or her hand. He wasn’t going to pull her in to any more hugs after witnessing her like this anyway, but she didn’t want him to think that she was gross or anything, not that she wasn’t. Currently drenched in salty tears and all.

“Could you… hand me one too?” He asked, his normaly clear and deep voice sounding somewhat clogged and vulnerable. She tore a few more tissues out of the box and handed him a few, giving the man a small smile as he blew his own nose with some and then wiped the tears off of his face with others. “Do you think we should talk about it?” He asked.

“I-I think so. But-” She placed a finger on her lips. “Can we talk about her first?”

“How’d you know-”

“Adrien. I know you don’t hate your job or Christmas or physics. Do you want to sit back down?”

He looked at the sofa and then back to Marinette, nodding.

Once seated down, Adrien with one foot on his knee, and Marinette curled into a position with a throw pillow pressed against her stomach, he began.

“She’s the most amazing girl. I can’t say it was love at first sight, because we met in a… strange situation, but I fell in love only minutes after that.”

Marinette smiled. “So, it was love at first sight?”

“Okay, I guess it was, but her amazingness was what somehow shined through her appearance. I think? Ugh, Marinette my brain’s a mess right now, can’t we just go to sleep?”

“On my couch?”

“Yes…”

“Not until you tell me more about this mystery girl. What’s she like? What makes her amazing?”

“The answer to your second question: everything. The answer to your first question however, I’m not sure how I can answer that.”

Marinette cocked her head to side, and Adrien, despite his sleepiness, grinned at the pose.

“She’s very brave.” He went on. “She’s daring and extremely kind and very, very beautiful.”

He watched Marinette as she rested her head against the couch backrest, a tired, satisfied look stretched across her face. Her black hair cascaded down past her shoulders due to the way her head was tilted to the side.

“You’re beautiful too, Mari.” He reached over and caressed her hair for a moment, before they both realized what was going on.

Marinette jumped up, her thoughts immediately racing to what she said to Chat Noir mere hours ago. She did not just have a moment with Adrien. She could not. Not with the way she felt around Chat and definitely not after being so rough with the poor guy.

“We can’t talk like this; I’m getting something to drink.”

“Good idea.” He said, now sitting in a straight, rigid position on the couch. He looked as if he were frozen in the moment of sitting down, his feet pressed onto the floor, his legs using much more muscles than they should be. His palms and sprawled out fingers were just as equally pressed against the white cushion, and by the way Adrien’s hair covered part of his view, he knew he had a somewhat Chat Noir-esque appearance.

It took Marinette five minutes to recompose herself and enter the room with a tray, holding red and green mugs with cute little snowmen printed onto them.

Adrien took the red one, the hot chocolate steaming up and blinding his senses for a moment. He looked at the cup’s design. The mugs were not just Christmas themed; they were Ladybug and Chat Noir themed.

The red cup’s background was spotted and the snowman – or snowwoman? – had two cute antennas on top of her head. The buttons glued to her middle looked like little ladybugs. Adrien sighed at the irony.

“Do you still want to talk about her?”

Adrien nodded without tearing his eyes from the cup.

Marinette was focused on her own cup as well, the snowman with cat ears grinning at her, a silly, Christmassy cat pun etched onto the top of the mug.

“Meowy Christmas and Happy Mew Year!”

This very mug made the young woman realize how good Chat Noir’s puns actually were… sometimes.

She smiled and then practically kissed words as she indulged in a sip of her coffee. The taste and scent of peppermint and cocoa filled her senses and she almost missed the quiet “If that’s okay?” that was whispered in her direction.

“Of course it’s okay, Adrien. I want to know about this girl. I need to. I’m one of your best friends and I… I need to know if she’s worthy of even having you.”

He gave her that look he’d given her so many years ago, the back of his head resting against the backrest of the couch, peering up at her with tired, half lidded eyes. “You’re really too good, Marinette. First, you let me come to your brand new apartment uninvited and on Christmas Eve, then let me cry my heart out, then you give me Christmas flavored _chocolat chaud_ in a Ladybug mug and now you’re trying to figure out if she’s worthy of me? Marinette, when you do finally fall in love, he’ll have to be perfect for me to even allow you to date him.”

Marinette smiled, but for a second she’d almost thought that Adrien had meant Ladybug was the girl he loved. She froze, then returning to the current and tilting her head to the side. “Adrien, you’re steering away from the initial topic.”

“And you didn’t answer my question.”

She must’ve missed it. “Uh, could you by any chance repeat your question?”

“Sure, princess.” She felt terrible for feeling this way, but he way that just rolled off his lips made her stomach churn. But that was much less uncomfortable as the question he’d asked next. “Have you ever been in love, Marinette? And I mean, really in love. Not that I don’t count what you felt for me in grade school as love just-”

“I know, Adrien. I know.” She flashed him a smile, before sipping more of her beverage. If she told Adrien, he may ask for a name. If she didn’t tell Adrien, she’d be lying. It was unfair, really. He’d told her about his girl, why couldn’t she open up to him?

Marinette stirred her drink. “I do think I have been, or am. I guess.”

Adrien widened his eyes, “You’re in love with someone? Mari? You’re in love with someone?”

She nodded, a silly smile weaved its way onto her lips and he grinned as well.

“Since when?” Adrien sure was excited.

“Um, do you remember when… um… Nino said that thing about marrying your best friend? The ‘you know, they always say you should marry your best friend’ phrase?”

His smile dropped. “You mean, earlier this year? In March? When we were at that café?”

“You remember that?”

He nodded.

“Well, I do too, not just because of Nino and Alya’s engagement but, well, you see, that sentence has repeated itself over and over in my mind and in my life this past year and I kind of, well, realized that I was in love with my best friend.” She sent a small grin in his direction, but he didn’t vocally respond.

Marinette's smile faltered as Adrien’s face went completely pale, as if all the blood had been drained out of him. Then, like fireworks, his cheeks flared in shades of dark pinks, and reds, his face almost a contrast to the emerald greens of his eyes.

“Oh no, Mari. No. No. No.” He put his hand on her shoulder and her confused gaze met his. His eyebrows swooped low and were just as etched with worry and even pity as his eyes were. “Please, please. Oh no. Don’t do this to me…” He cupped his head in his hands, then moved them upwards and ran his fingers through his hair. “Marinette, I’m flattered but I, um, the girl I always talked about… I didn’t just leave out her name because she was you or something like that.”

Marinette almost choked on her chocolate. As soon as the hot drink made it’s way down her throat, she turned to her friend. “Adrien. I’m not stupid. I know that.”

“But you just said you were in love with your best friend and oh gosh, I just made a fool of myself, didn’t I, Mari? I am so, so sorry. I do like you just not like-”

“Like that. I know, Adrien. Believe me, I know.”

“I mean, it’s not like I don’t think you’re attractive, because I do. You’re beautiful, Marinette, and if I’m completely honest there have been a lot of times were I had tiny crushes on you, and if it weren’t for Ladybug, I might have even fallen in love with you, but, wait no, I do love you, but as a friend not as a-”

“Ladybug?” Marinette knew that the sudden expression on Adrien’s face must’ve resembled her own quite a bit. She flinched away, leading Adrien’s hand to fall to where her knee was. He tore it back, gaze glued to the girl sitting across from him.

The atmosphere shifted.

“Do you even know her? Adrien,” she began, “how can you be in love with someone you don’t even know? I mean, I’m fine with all of this, but how many times have you even talked to her?”

The expression on Adrien’s face only worsened at her words and Marinette couldn’t stop herself.

“Adrien, I care about you. I am not going to judge you because of this. I promise. But you can’t be in love with somebody you hardly know. That’s not love, Adrien. That’s infatuation. That’s what I had for you.” She looked up with him with the most worried expression. “You can’t keep these feelings just bottled inside of you, that’s, that’s unhealthy.”

Adrien’s shocked expression turned to one she’d never seen on his, or pretty much anyone’s face before. His eyebrows were scrunched together, his upper lip pressed hard against the lower and his eyes almost filled with fury. Marinette scooted backwards, her hand still trapped in the gesture she’d somehow learned from him, resting on his shoulder in assurance.

“Well, first, you _are_ judging me.” Adrien practically hissed, “Second, no, my feelings for Ladybug are not some sort of infatuation and third, _princess_ -”

Marinette’s own hand fell from his shoulder, her eyes still widened in shock. The man’s green eyes were staring daggers at her, his mouth almost curled into a snarl as if he were staring at an akuma, angry, but something said that he knew it wasn't really vaild. Like he knew she didn't mean to hurt his feelings. Like he knew that the akuma victims didn't mean to destroy half the city and almost kill him. Then the foreign expression turned familar and Marinette almost dropped her chocolate.

“You’re Chat Noir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be posting one more chapter, just becuase this one got a little too long... and also sorry for a super emotional Adrien...


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